


tequila boom boom

by bonjourmags



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Soulmates, i can only write fluff it seems, this is so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-08 03:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12855747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonjourmags/pseuds/bonjourmags
Summary: Will Byers was born in a world in which you can only taste flavors after finding one of your soulmates. The first soulmate was his mother, who gave him sweetness. The second one, his brother, gave him saltiness. A girl at school, his new best friend, gave him bitterness.But Will Byers had no idea that this cute boy in his university would make him taste a lot more.





	1. sweetness, bitterness, saltiness

It was a rainy day when Mrs. Byers gave birth to her second son. She held him in her arms with curiosity as his little hands were reaching for her eyes in an effortless movement, looking as he was about to cry, but she gave him her tiny finger that he decided to bit with his toothless mouth as soon as he got it. She smiled at him, her husband and other son next to her. They all heard the rain diving on the roof of the hospital, and their minds saved this sound as a song that will, forever and always, remind them of the new Byers.

 

After they left all the paper work to the nurses and doctors, they were happily reunited again in another room. A decisive moment of their life was about to start as someone entered the room with a trolley full of food. "Good morning Byers. Are you all ready to taste for the first time?" Said the gentle nurse, her golden hair up in a bun, a smile across her face. "This is my favorite part. I love bringing these to new families." She let the trolley next to them. 

 

At that age, which is approximatively three hours, Will had no idea of how lucky he was at that moment. He was about to taste for the first time. 

 

Who knows why and how, humans - it has been also tested on animals, to see their reactions, but they seem to work differently - had five different tastes than came during their life. Some people could taste the whole lot, the combination of all five, while others only tasted sweetness. Before, it was common sense to think that the older you'll get, more tastes you'll be able to relish. It changed, in the eighteen century, when doctors thought the reason was that the tastes you could feel were different parts of your personalities: it was all about tasting bitterness, which meant that you were gentle, and people who could relish it were seen as superiors. 

 

The research has been done over, and over, until the year 1986, when scientists finally set on a theory, that, of course started a lot of controversy: the tastes were given through your life when you meet your different soulmates. Even if they had a lot of experiences to prove their sayings, not everyone wanted to think this soulmate theory was bullshit, and soulmates were something that couldn't exist. Now, most people follow scientists - and the ones who don't mostly stay silent. 

 

The thesis explained that everyone could taste sweetness when they start life, as your first soulmate is your mother. However, you have to eat while she's around to be able to savour it, which was not the case when she died in labor. In the modern society, not liking sweet food was seen as bad, which meant the loss of a young mother. 

 

Usually, the second one to enter was saltiness, that came with a brother or a sister. Even if the bond isn't close, the two are still considered by the human brain as a soulmate, which starts the processus of tasting food such as most vegetables. Sometimes, the brother or sister could even unlock bitterness, which was reserved to a platonic relationship: the best friend soulmate. However, this was rare, and most people had to wait a long time before being able to enjoy coffee.

 

Savoriness was one of the tastes that you actually could "decide" to taste, as it is for your parental soulmate - your child. After 1986, statistics showed an increase in the number of births, which was associated with the want (and need) to taste more foods such as cheese or soy sauce. Other statistics also showed that now people were leaning towards a two-kids family, in a hope to complete their children's tastes.

 

And, the last one was sourness. Most people were never able to taste it, like the bitterness. To be granted of this taste, you had to meet your romantic soulmate, which was harder than the other ones. While you had few best friend soulmates, for most, it could get up to five people that could potentially give you the sensation of beer or other beverages, while you only had one in seven billion with whom you could share wine. 

 

Will Byers had no idea of how lucky he was to start his life with, already, two tastes. He had sweetness and saltiness to begin with, thanks to his mother and brother. If he had chance, he could even get more during the rest of his life. Lonnie took the trolley with an absentminded eye, since all he wanted to do was to look at his boy for the eternity. A few meals were on it, with names of the flavors they handled written above three plates. Two had savoriness, the last one saltiness, and next to those, two very small cups: salted water in the first, grenadine in the second one. 

 

Every Byers knew which was for them, and they all, together, tasted their new horizons to celebrate Will. 

 

***

Schools had this new system since the year 1998, which was to give to every class, it didn't matter how aged were the students, some coffee. Of course, when they were young, it was very little coffee, a lot of water and sugar, while the older students got strong black coffee that they sweetened as they wanted themselves. It was the idea of scientists who said that this way, it would be easier to unlock the bitter taste, as you have a lot of chance to meet one of your platonic soulmates in your class. 

 

First time that Will had coffee between his hands, he was so young he couldn't even remember well. He was in nursery, an hour after his mom had dropped him there. He could still see her tired but yet anxious eyes, as she closed the door and let go of Will. He looked at her as she explained calmly that this was it, that this is what she told him about and that now, he was getting bigger and would start his little-boy life. She brushed some of his hair that fell down in front of his eyes as she gave him a melted smile. "You'll maybe meet your best friend here. Isn't great? You'll be able to eat and feel adult food!" She laughed, but Will understood nothing of what she said since he had no idea of what adult food was, but he accompanied his mother with a laugh because he knew she liked it when he did that. 

 

"Well, they'll make you taste something. If it tastes nothing, that's fine, it just means that none of the kids is your soulmate. It doesn't mean that you can't be best friends! It just means that your souls aren't connected." She placed one of her fingers on Will's torso, wanting to show him his heart, but Will was too young to understand that. He just liked how his body warmed up when she touched him, like a heat was radiating between them, a fire taking another piece of wood to burn. "Your soul and mine are connected, you know. That's why you like so much ice cream. It's because you and I, we share something." His smile opened up some more, and so did Joyce's heart. She hugged him once more, and the fire took Will's entire body, and he sighed. He liked it warm. 

 

Once inside, he met a girl, named Maxine. The two of them got along directly, but not because they liked to play together: no, Max (she told him to call he Max, she hated the name Maxine) was happy to play alone with toys, making stories and telling them, while Will was happy to stay behind, listening to her, and then clapping his hands to compliment her. An hour passed, and just because he was a good public, Max decided that the two of them would be best friends. He hoped that it would be true, and even if he didn't clearly understand how food could tell them if they were linked, he wanted to try. They held hands as they tasted the coffee. 

 

At first, he knew it was a new taste. It seemed to awaken his tongue, with a flavor that reminded him hanukka with his brother close to him, a cookie in his hand, mom kissing his father very quickly on the lips. Then his mind told him that if he had a memory of him eating something tasting the same as what he was drinking right now, it meant that he was wrong and he was still relishing... what did his mom said it was called, again? Sweetness. If it was sweet, it meant that Max couldn't be his soulmate. His eyes looked up and there was a giant person looking right at him. "So, does it taste weird? If it does, it means that one of your friends here is very particular!" Will started to do puppy eyes as he looked at Max, who was still holding his hand, and had the same frown than him on her face. 

 

"My mom said that we can still be friends even if we're not soulmates." He said, quietly, and Max smiled widely with her crooked teeth. 

 

***

The years continued that way. He never added any soulmate to his arc, so his tastes were still as dull as before, tasting only saltiness and sweetness. At least, he was happy to have two of them, which wasn't the case of every kid in his class. He was okay with what he had, and of course he wanted more, but he wasn't that much focused on that. As a kid, his preoccupations were more on how to play with that ball, drawing as much as he could and please his mom with gifts when he could. 

 

At some point, his dad left. He was still too young to understand but he knew that his mother and brother were hurt by the move. Will always liked Joyce and Jonathan better than Lonnie, who was cold with him. Maybe he felt that way because when his mom touched him he felt a fire burning inside them, and when his brother touched him it felt like air going through his veins, giving him more oxygen that he needs, reviving his nerves. When Lonnie touched him, he felt nothing. 

 

Then, after he forgot about how coffee could taste, 8th grade reminded him that looking for soulmates was still a thing for everyone. That year, in his class, everyone said that the coffee test was stupid since there was only one new kid in the group, and mostly everyone thought she was weird because she had all of her hair cut off, almost bald, which repelled most people. Will didn't care, because himself wasn't so good at fashion and he was a bit weird on the sides.

 

They all received their coffee, with some milk and sugar with it. The past years he would often take some sugar but he quickly decided that it was stupid, since every time he tasted the coffee he thought it was a new sensation - but it wasn't, it was the feeling of sweetness, over and over. At least, if there's nothing in the coffee, he can be sure of what he knows and what he tastes. As soon as he got the coffee in his hands, he passed the sugar and milk to someone else and took a sip.

 

Before spitting it all over his table. 

 

"Oh my god, it tastes awful!" Added Will when he felt all eyes on him. Then he looked at the new girl, named Jane, and knew that she is the only person that could be his soulmate, and her face as she tried the coffee told him that yes, he was right.


	2. sourness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: underage drinking (well, it's not in my country, but it is in america)

When Will told his mother that he had found one of his soulmates, she hoped it will be the romantic one. Of course, when she saw Jane with he kind smile and pure looks, she was in too deep, it was almost as if she fell in love with her. Then Will introduced her.

 

"Mom, this is Jane Hopper, she's my best friend soulmate." 

 

Joyce's smile fell a little, only on the edges. "Oh, I thought she was your soulmate-soulmate." Will furrowed his brows. "She's my soulmate-soulmate. She's one of my soulmates, so are you, and Jonathan." He exactly knew what his mother meant, but what he sait was true. "It doesn't matter. I'm so excited to meet you, Jane. You look wonderful." To what the teen smiled, "Thank you, Miss Byers." His mom laughed. "You can call me Joyce, honey."

 

Will's mom loved Jane as if she was her own daughter. Sometimes, Will thought that she would have liked him to be his romantic soulmate, but when she discovered that, she told him that it was completely false and that Will couldn't choose his soulmates. 

 

Six months after the meeting of the girls, Joyce invited Jane and her entire family to dinner. Her entire family was actually a single person, who also was the cop who gave her a ticket three hours earlier, when she was driving too fast (to get the groceries for their dinner). They laughed about that the whole evening, and at the end he said that he'll find a way to exempt her from paying it since the dinner was amazing. 

 

What they said to their kids: during this meal, I tasted bitterness for the first time. When we hate mocha-coffee cakes, I could taste it as much as you did, kids. I think your best friends' parent is also my best friend soulmate.

 

What they didn't say to their kids: during this meal, I tasted sourness for the first time. When we hate this salmon, I could taste the lemon that was on the salmon, kids. I think your best friends' parent is also my romantic soulmate.

 

***

Years passed. After a while, when Joyce decided that it was time to be over Lonnie, she asked to Hopper and Jane to move in their home - it was natural, after all, since Jane almost lived there. Hopper wasn't Will or Jonathan's dad, and he understood that, but he acted very protectively towards them. He taught them how to fight (if they had problems, not to kick someone's ass, he warned them) and always bought them chocolate.

 

Time flew. Jane and Will finally went to college, and decided to leave their parents to go learning in New York, and they decided to take a small room in a dorm for students. Everyone thought they were either dating, which made them uncomfortable, or brother and sister, and in a way they weren't guessing wrong. 

 

Even if they lived together, they weren't studying the same subjects, Will made the harsh decision to drop his idea of Communication, which could have give him an actual job, and took art of animation, while Jane decided to do fall for graphic design. The University wasn't so big, but it was still an university in the middle of New York: which meant that it wasn't small either. 

 

They loved it there. Jane would go out a lot, sometimes leaving her school projects behind, which worried Will a bit. Every time she was partying she invited Will to come with her. Once a week he said yes and wore a t-shirt he liked before his best friend made a weird face and took another for him to change. She made a tons of friends, and so did Will.

 

He was in the school canteen with Dustin (a boy that was in animation, but was so good with science, Will was trying to push him to go into robotics) and Lucas, (a guy that was in architecture, Will still doesn't know how they met, but it seemed to happen). They were waiting to pay, when someone touched Will's shoulder as he heard, "John?" 

 

He turned around, his face meeting another. It was a very tall boy, almost a head and a half taller than Will, who was wearing a stupid green dress shirt with lemons on it, open, leaving a sight on a white t-shirt below. He looked at Will with attention, before taking glasses that were stuck in his t-shirt and put them on. "Oh my." He looked very cute, this way, with his ridiculous attire, his slowly curled black hair, his rectangular glasses, thought Will as the boy spoke: "I'm sorry, I thought you were John."

 

"I'm Will." He said without thinking, and the other boy smiled quietly. "I'm Mike." Then Dustin piped in, "I'm Dustin!" Which made the four of them laugh.

 

"This is quite an... interesting t-shirt," said Will. Actually, the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. The fabric seemed soft and the design was funny. Mike laughed. "Don't tell me. My sister gave it to me so I would 'find my soulmate', because, you know... there's lemons on it... she thinks it's giving me more chance to meet someone with who I'll be able to taste bitterness." He explained. 

 

"Oh, my mom did that too. She always sends me bitter food in the hope it's helping me..." Added Dustin. Lucas laughed. "Oh right, like it worked. At least it didn't for you, Dustin." Mike looked at them as he said: "Well, it didn't for me either. This sucks. I look ridiculous and I'm still single as fuck." They laughed. 

 

"I'm dating someone who is not my soulmate," told Lucas. "I know that not everyone agrees, but it's so rare to find your actual soulmate. I got tired of waiting and I just want to experience life. Oh, by the way my name is Lucas." They all shrugged. "I'm with you, I may be single now but I dated a few girls in high school." Mike said as Dustin turned to Will. "You could date Jane, at least you'll be sure of what you'll get," "God, no. It's gross. She's like, my sister. And she's my best friend, not my mate." He said, but he knew that Dustin was laughing. And besides, Will was homosexual - they all knew it, but never talked about it clearly. It seemed to be common sense. 

 

"Mike!" Said a voice, as they were about to sit with their new friend. He turned around to meet a boy, which was probably John. "We're over there," he said as he showed the other room, "you're coming?" Mike looked at Dustin, Lucas and Will with embarrassment. Will was already seated and doodling in a sketchbook. "Uhhh, yes. Wait a minute." He did a sign to his friend to tell him 'go, I'm coming soon', before adding to the three boys: "You guys are cool. Dustin, I saw you Avengers backpack, that's cool. Lucas, what you're about to eat looks disgusting, and Will, aren't you the guy who did that webcomic? I read it- uh. It's nice. I like it." He said before telling them, "you three add me on facebook. I'm Mike Wheeler. You seem very nice, I hope we can see each other more than just two minutes and making fun of my other t-shirts!" And he was gone. 

 

Lucas furrowed his brows. "My food is awesome. What a dick." Dustin was looking directly at Will. "Isn't your webcomic a gay story?" He asked, while the Byers boy was searching Mike on facebook, "Yes, it is." Dustin laughed quietly. "I'm shipping it." And that was it, Will was a blushing mess. 

 

***

A few weeks later, Will and Mike were talking a lot together. Still, they were supposed to party but every time they had different plans. 

 

 _mike thirdwheel-er to will-u shut up:_

i'm sorry i know we were supposed to meet tonight but i completely forgot that i told my friend that i would see her before??? i'm so sorry

 

 _will-u shut up to mike thirdwheel-er:_

Don't worry. I also forgot that I had plans with my sister. We'll see each other another day. 

_mike thirdwheel-er to will-u shut up:_

will you b able to live without me another day, tho?

 _will-u shut up to mike thirdwheel-er:_

Shut up. It's fine. I just miss your lemon shirt.

 _mike thirdwheel-er to will-u shut up:_

too bad, that's what i'm wearing right now. 

 

It went on and on, like this, since they met. They clicked right away - and so did Dustin and Lucas. After a month, Dustin stopped to annoy Will with how he was 'heads over heels for him', and even Will forgot about it. 

 

But something was wrong to him. He felt like Mike was one of his soulmates, mostly the bestfriend kind, but since he had Jane, he couldn't test it. And, anyway, they never ate together. (He could be, also, his romantic soulmate, but Will didn't want to give himself false hopes, so he tried to ignore the small voice that, maybe, Mike's horrid t-shirt was really lucky and that Will was Mike's soulmate- oh, shut up, mind)

 

 _will-u shut up to mike thirdwheel-er:_

Send a pic. 

_mike thirdwheel-er sent a picture to will-u shut up!_

 

Will laughed at his phone, when Jane entered their small student place. "Oh my god. Clear everything, I have friends coming for tonight, before we leave for Fred's." He shrugged. "Sure, but you tell me what I have to wear then." She rolled her eyes. "When am I not." 

 

They cleaned their place as she placed on their table a bottle of tequila, lemons and salt. 

 

"What is this." He asked, looking at the ingredients. "This is called tequila boom boom. You lick the salt that you placed in your hand, you bite into the lemon, then you drink a bit of this," she said, happily showing alcohol. He mentally slapped himself. "You're getting wrecked, tonight, sis." She adjusted him: "We're getting wrecked tonight." And then someone knocked on the door. 

 

She ran to open, and he waited at the table, lurking at Mike's picture. 

 

"Hi! Welcome! So guys, this is my almost-brother, Will. Will, meet John and Mike." 

 

He looked up, and here was this stupid person that he called his friend - wearing his stupid lemon t-shirt. "Oh, we now each other. Right, Byers?" He walked up to him, and they hugged. John came and they did a handshake. "Right." He said, stars fighting in his eyes. The evening was fine. Mike asked if he could put some music on the speakers, they talked and played a drinking game called pyramid while drinking some cheap beer. Then Jane decided that it was the time for them to upgrade. 

 

"Let's do tequila!" She explained the two other boys how it was supposed to be done, and she asked to everyone to show their hand to put salt on it. She did it, then gave everyone a slice of lemon and a shot. "Okay, we do it on three. One, two, three."

 

First, the salt. Will knew that for Jane, it tasted nothing, it was pure bland, but it wasn't for him or for Mike - he knew he had a sister. Then, the lemon. He was ready for him to taste nothing, but when his teeth bit it, it felt overwhelming. He didn't want to look too weird, so instead of stopping himself, he quickly drank his shot. His eyes started at Mike, who wasn't looking at him, but fixing something on the table. He was bitting his lip nervously and wasn't acting like he used to.

 

At this moment, Will Byers knew. Mike Wheeler was his soulmate - his romantic soulmate. They would spend their entire life together, as if they were linked by invisible strings. In a way, Will knew it from the beginning. It seems, as he thought, that this stupid lemons t-shirt was actually a lucky charm. He was about to take his hand, to tell him that if he could taste this sour taste it was because they were together, in the same room. He was about to take his hand, to tell him, when he watched Mike's eyes on Jane, with a goofy smile. Will knew that Mike was wrong. Jane wasn't his soulmate. But again, he was about to make a mistake that will break Will's life in two. "I think... We need to talk, Jane..."

 

If only Mike Wheeler knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The webcomic is actually real, and was in my head "Loose ends", which is so nice, you should check it out. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked this! I know I said it was fluff, but oops.
> 
> Don't hesitate to comment, it makes my day!! <3 And if you want to talk, here's my tumblr: @whues

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, here I am, with ideas to write one shots but make it way more, once again! Thanks to everyone who told me to continue with my idea!
> 
> Don't hesitate to comment, it makes my day! And here is my tumblr if you feel like following me: @whues


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